00:00Madam Speaker I beg to move that a bill entitled an act to amend the national
00:05emblems of Trinidad and Tobago Regulation Act chapter 1904 to provide
00:11for a new coat of arms and other related matters be now read a second time.
00:17The moment Tourism Minister Randall Mitchell began the debate in the House of
00:21Representatives that marked a milestone in the history of the Twin Island
00:25Republic. Madam Speaker this bill although short and simple is a very
00:31significant and consequential piece of legislation. The bill seeks to bring into
00:36force government's position and intention to modify our country's coat
00:41of arms established in 1962 by replacing the representation of Columbus's ships
00:47with our national treasure our very own national musical instrument the steel
00:54band. Baruga Tableland MP Michelle Benjamin was the first opposition
00:59member to join the debate and questioned how much it would cost taxpayers to
01:05change the coat of arms. Mr. Deputy Speaker I know the members on the other
01:10side they are not concerned about the public purse because they do things
01:16ad hoc but the public would like to know these things Mr. Deputy Speaker. We
01:23know that this bill was mere gesture and we know that it's an election year but
01:30the people will soon have their way. Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley spoke
01:34right after MP Benjamin. It is not to be trivialized as my colleague from
01:40Baruga Tableland said because it's elections. Last year this country took
01:47the step to make the steel pan the national instrument of the people of
01:53Twin Island Tobago. National instrument. Acknowledge it as the national
01:58instrument. You know how many years Mr. Deputy Speaker the pan playing
02:03fraternity and others have been saying that we should do that. Opposition leader
02:09Kamala Prasad Besassan later defended the Baruga Tableland MP. So Madam Speaker I
02:15was very very disappointed today and in fact very saddened that a senior member
02:21of this house will stand in this Parliament to chastise a junior member
02:26the member from Baruga Tableland by putting words into the mouth of the
02:30member from Baruga Tableland. At no time did the member from Baruga Tableland say that we were not
02:39supporting it. And I want to place on record that we fully support this amendment. We fully support this amendment. Long in coming but it has come and the day has come and we welcome that day.
02:53After the Tourism Minister wound up the debate the bill for the new coat of arms
02:57was passed by the House of Representatives. The bill states that the
03:01former coat of arms may be used until January 1st 2026 or such later date as
03:08the minister may by order prescribe. Jule Brown TV6 News
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